Impurest's Guide to Animals #32 - Sea Swallow

@starwatcher: Cool thanks

@ostyo: Nope not a worm of any kind. Maybe @laflux can help you figure it out

@impurestcheese said:

Yeah, I guess you could be perceived as "government stooge" or something, lol.

I am a vegan and have been to numerous animal rights things and I have come to no other conclusion than that those people are crazy. Most of the time it seems like try to, I don't know, "out-vegan" each other and weird stuff like that. It seems to be more based on ego than anything else. People are terrible, animals are better. I mean, if you don't want to contribute to animal suffering, thats one thing, but attacking people for not sharing your beliefs is what more or less insane people do.

@cattlebattle: Worse a money hungry corporate sellout. Some issues I totally agree with but others...well because of animal rights activists release of American Mink the Water Vole population has dropped from 7.5 million in 1989 to 35,000 in 2004.

Beautiful looking animal, and great work Impurest!

@impurestcheese: is it some type of hemichordate primitive chordate along those lines so like a lancelet or acorn worm.....

@wolverine08: Thanks for the comment

@laflux: Nope it's a true vertebrate although the Lancet and the Salp are on my list

Why is that?? They are preyed on by the mink?

@cattlebattle: Yep Water Voles evade predation by hiding in their burrows. Unfortunately mink are slender enough to get inside and rip their heads off.

@impurestcheese:

The fleshly projection look like it may belong to a star nosed mole, but if the small worm looking thing is the organism in focus, I'm tempted to say its the larval stage of some marine primitive vertebrate, such as a Lamprey or Hagfish.

@laflux: Still bating zero, it's none of the above

is it marine or terrestrial?

@laflux: Freshwater Aquatic

@impurestcheese- Catfish?

@laflux: Just check out issue 33. LOL

posted there already.

If the photo was higher resolution I would have got it I'm certain :P

Gorgeous creature. Imagining it floating on its back and ruthlessly tearing apart its prey is creepy and funny and intriguing. Makes me want to lash out at the next cabana boy I come across on my next (notgoingtohappenforalongtime) vacation while floating on a pool bed.

Good to know about the effects on Water Voles from American Minks.

@ms-lola: Then may the goddess have mervy on the nect cabana boy who runs across your path